notes:

hi hello how are you guys? times are hard rn but i hope youre all doing okay! ive managed to shake off the spirit of the kimetsu no yaiba hype for a bit so i can finish my assclass backlogs, mainly this alphabet oneshot collection and the rest of on mornings spent swaying to and fro on the train. i'll probably be able to get chapter 7 on or before November rolls by, so for now enjoy this work's updates first :) god i missed karmanami so much wtf

"I still think this fucking sucks."

"Language," Manami absently chastised. Her toes curled against her comforter, the October chill making her skin prick. Her last two afternoon classes were cancelled because her professors had an emergency, and Manami couldn't say she was glad for the cancellation. It just meant more make up activities and piles of work in the long run. Her eyes felt raw and tired staring at the screen for hours, and she still had seven more activities that needed to be accomplished before midnight.

Compared to four years ago… this is worse. So much worse. Manami wished, not for the first time since the pandemic started, that she were already making contributions and research for a cure in a laboratory, not stuck in the middle of a city and struggling to make make sense of her classes where 60% of her subjects were practical courses.

"It's as if the universe said studying in two different universities and living in different prefectures isn't enough. Our relationship's gotta go through a goddamn pandemic, too? Wow." Karma ranted, tickling a laugh from Manami as she curled up to the sound of Karma's voice in loudspeaker. "We haven't seen each other in… what, eight months? Just… mind blowing. Eight months!"

"Ritsu-chan is going to be so sad to hear that you're underappreciating her app," Manami teased.

"I can't exactly kiss you through video." The sigh that followed sounded put upon and full of exaggerated woe. "Besides, 4K resolution's got nothing on the real thing. I miss your boobs."

Manami wasn't proud of how quickly she'd flushed all over. "You—! Karma-kun!"

"What?" he laughed, sounding a tad too devilish for her liking. "Don't you miss my—"

"Yes, yes, I miss you too! All of you!" Manami squeaked in haste, knowing just what kind of filth he was about to say as she pressed her flushed face against her pillows. Encrypted call or not, Manami wasn't sure she was ready to be dirty-talked through a phone call. But her words make her realize the gravity of it all: she really, really, really did miss him. "I miss you," she repeated, quiet and forlorn, her chest tight with longing.

"…Yeah. Me too."

The line crackled for a bit as she heard sounds of a door being opened on his side of the call before the receiver was covered, and Manami rolled to her back as she waited for him to tune back in, though a knock at her bedroom door startled Manami into sitting up when her mother peeked in to say, "A delivery came for you," with the strangest of expressions before leaving the door ajar. A delivery? I don't remember ordering anything…

"Hey, sorry. Was that Rie-san just now? What's up?"

"Yes. I don't know," Manami huffed, rubbing her stinging eyes as she ran a hand through her bedhead and grimacing at her wrinkled sleep clothes. Quarantine had made her too complacent… "She said there's a delivery for me… which is weird, since I haven't ordered anything this month. It must be a misunderstanding."

"Oh? You better go resolve it then. Go ahead!"

"I'll be back, please don't hang up!"

"Don't take too long," he teased softly. "I'll wait right here."

Leaving the phone atop her nightstand, Manami trudged out of her bedroom, running a hand through her locks in a vain attempt to make herself look presentable… but absolutely nothing prepared her for the sight of Karma himself standing in the middle of her living room, hands in his pockets and his smiling eyes softening at the sight of her beneath his mask.

"Karma-kun?" Manami gasped, nearly stumbling in her haste to get to him. Eight months. Eight months too long. Manami found herself breathless when he'd tugged his mask off before sweeping her up in an embrace so fierce. Kisses are good, and long nights in bed spent with Karma will always be nice, but this. Manami missed this the most. "Wha… what are you doing here?" she sputtered, burying her face into his clavicle as she clung tightly around his neck, her feet off the ground as they swayed.

"I was already on my way up your building when you called, and I waited outside your unit because like, whoa… I finally get to see my girl after eight months? It felt kind of surreal."

Manami let out a startled giggle, still unable to believe he was actually here! "How?"

"I asked Rie-san and Eiichi-san's permission a few days ago if I can visit, and I asked my old man to drive me, so I can't stay long. I'm sorry." Karma answered, squeezing her impossibly closer.

"No, no! That's okay!" He did all of that just to come see me? And mom and dad were in on it! "This is… this is more than okay."

"Yeah? Well… Cute Kuromi pajamas, by the way."

Manami burned bright red, but the retort died on her tongue when there was an 'ehem' somewhere to the side. Manami found her parents peeking from the kitchen doorway, her mother wearing a look of annoyance that looked too amused to be genuine, and her father was bearing the widest of smiles.

"You two are so cute," was all her father managed to say before her mother started hustling him towards the front door.

"W-Where are you guys going?"

"We'll go keep Kuniharu-san company downstairs at the lobby for the time being. Don't take too long, Karma-kun." Her mother reminded, and Karma temporarily let go so he could bow to her parents.

"Yes! Thank you so much, Rie-san!"

Her mother's smile was the last thing Manami saw before the door closed, and when their voices finally fade Manami pulled a startled Karma to her height, eagerly wrapping him in an embrace that had him sighing in contentment when she wrapped all limbs around his frame.

"Is it just me or have you gotten heavier?"

"That's a rude thing to ask a girl."

"You're right," Karma breathed, pressing kisses on her neck, her jaw, her cheek, and stopping just shy of her mouth when Manami raised her head to look him in the eye. "What I really should be asking is if I can kiss you."

He didn't need to ask.

.

"But are you sure you won't let me touch your—"

"Go home, Karma-kun!"